FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a network 100 of nodes (e.g., computing devices) interacting in a peer-to-peer (P2P) manner. Generally, a requesting node 101 sends a search message 105 (e.g., containing keywords relating to data that the requesting node 101 wishes to locate) to at least one intermediate node 111 in communication with the requesting node 101 via a peer connection. The intermediate node 111 receives the search message 105 and forwards the search message 105 to at least one additional node 111. Eventually, the search message 105 reaches at least one responding node 103 having the requested data (in some cases, the first intermediate node 111 to which the search message 105 is forwarded will also be a responding node 103). At least one responding node 103 then sends a response message 107 back to the requesting node 101, e.g., via the intermediate nodes 111. The requesting node 101 then requests the relevant data from a responding node 103 by connecting directly to the responding node 103, e.g., via direct connection 109.
Searches such as that described, while helpful in locating content for which a user is searching, often tend to flood the network with redundant and/or irrelevant data. For example, if an initial search does not produce the desired responses, the time to live (TTL) of the search message may be increased, and the search re-issued. The repeated searches are sent to the same initial nodes to which the initial search was sent; accordingly, many of the results received by the requesting node are duplicates. Network traffic is thus unnecessarily increased, while the results may be no better than those produced by the initial search. Some P2P networks attempt to reduce traffic by limiting the number of search results; however, this may prevent results that better match the search request from reaching the requesting node.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for managing peer-to-peer search results.